Spring Training Game Thread: Yankees vs. Cano

We’re a few weeks into Spring Training now and the monotony has begun to set in. The meaningless games aren’t as enjoyable as they were when camp opened and most of the top prospects have already been reassigned to minor league camp, so there isn’t too much to get excited about. Happens every year around this time.

Today will be a little different though. The Yankees are playing the Dominican Republic team in a World Baseball Classic exhibition game at George M. Steinbrenner Field this afternoon, a Dominican Republic team that is managed by Yankees bench coach Tony Pena and anchored by Yankees cornerstone Robinson Cano. Pena’s team destroyed — I’m talking eight runs on 12 hits in 2.2 innings — Cole Hamels in Phillies’ camp yesterday, so I’m sure the club feels good about themselves right now. The game does count for anything but it will be fun to see Robbie out there on the other team, I’m sure the players are looking forward to it. Here’s the starting lineup…

Available Position Players: C Bobby Wilson, 2B Jose Pirela, SS Addison Maruszak, 3B Dan Johnson, LF Thomas Neal, and RF Zoilo Almonte are all scheduled to come off the bench. Murton, Mesa, and Hafner will apparently play all nine innings.

Here is the Dominican Republic lineup if you’re interested. Starting for them this afternoon is … wait for it … lefty Vidal Nuno. How about that? Jennings says some Yankees relievers may come out of the bullpen for the Dominican Republic as well. These World Baseball Classic exhibitions aren’t the most formal thing in the world, I guess.

This afternoon’s game is scheduled to start a little after 1pm ET and can be seen on YES, MLB Network, and MLB.tv. There are no local blackouts. Enjoy.

Seeing Cano in a different uniform …. sure hope he doesn’t make us get used to this.

KeithK

Yeah, hopefully this is the only time we see in another uniform.

Cris Pengiucci

And during his All-Star Game appearances. Definitely would like to see him remain with the Yankees, and hope he signs a contract that doesn’t keep him playing till he’s total unproductive. Don’t care if it’s 6 years or 10, I just want him to be able to produce the entire time (which is unlikely on a 10-year deal).

Eddard

Should be interesting to see how Eduardo Nuney handles the lead off spot. He certainly has lead off ability given his speed but he needs to be able to hit for contact, draw walks and bunt for base hits. Gardner and Nuney would be a great one-two punch at the top of the lineup when Jete does decide to retire.

Nick

So what are the chances that Tex’s wrist issue doesn’t linger during the season?

Havok9120

Depends on what the “issue” actually is. Until we know more it’ll just be speculation. It could linger until he decides to have surgery or it could clear up on its own by next week. Wrists are evil that way.

Nick

Yeah, that’s what I figured. This could be an interesting April if Tex and Hughes miss extended time.

dalelama

With the way Tex hits the first and last month of the season we aren’t missing much.

Eddard

We can’t count on Teixera for anything. He’s too brittle. And this year there is less margin for error with no Swisher and Alex and no Granderson for 6 weeks. The offense is in big trouble if Teix can’t shake off this injury.

MannyGeee

There he is! Welcome back, sunshine…

Manny’s BanWagon

The Yankees better tell their pitchers that anyone who comes inside on Cano gets cut from the team on the spot.

Jacob the OG

Thought there was a chat today?

Mickey Scheister

I wonder if Joba will comply with Cano’s request of a FB down the middle. That was weird watching Kuroda pitch to Cano. I’m looking forward to seeing Nuno, the dark horse candidate for the rotation! NUNO TIME TO SHINE!!11!

Jacob the OG

Looking forward to seeing him get smashed, seems inevitable.

Mickey Scheister

But it’s the Yanks first time facing him….

Jacob the OG

He is in their orginization? If any team has a good scouting report on him it is them.

I’ve liked Nuno for a while, I know he’s old for MiLB but he doesn’t rely on just a fastball, he’s a soft tossing lefty. I’d love to see him given a cup of coffee this year. The way the injury bug is biting, it seems like we’ll see a lot of the AAA guys at some point this year.

Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

Well that’s one way to keep his throws from going into the stands…

MannyGeee

“The game does count for anything but it will be fun to see Robbie out there on the other team, I’m sure the players are looking forward to it.”

You shut your lying whore mouth right now Axisa…

Mickey Scheister

Didn’t Cervelli catch Nuno last year, this is some awesome March baseball.

Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

DH. DH. DH.

Karl Krawfid

Yankees can pitch.

Don’t think this season will be that bad.

Eddard

That’s a mistake. Gardner should be in CF. He is the vastly superior fielder.

Dalek Jeter

The RF’er (who ever he is) is a god damned butcher.

vicki

juan rivera. and yeah.

Mickey Scheister

He’s looking more like a back-up 1B option or DH than a viable OF option, at this point. His routes are worse than an old, un-updated garmin.

MannyGeee

Redirectiong….

Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

Juan Rivera.

And yes, he is quite the butcher.

Mickey Scheister

Rondon > Rapada

dkidd

i was getting all stressed about the yankees and age and injuries, and then i read about ryan westmoreland on mlbtr and decided not to sweat the small stuff

Dalek Jeter

Idk if that is still Nunie at SS, but that was a really nice play to start the 6-4-3.

vicki

twas. i believe all the starters are still in.

Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

As an OF, Juan Rivera makes for a mediocre DH.

Ben

Hello fellow Yankee fans,

If you wouldn’t mind taking a few minutes to take this short survey, it would help me out tremendously in completing my master’s thesis. It deals w/ watching sporting events at home.

Just saying, to my untrained eye Hanley’s swing looks very very long and loopy, especially compared to Cano.

vicki

is that fair, though? robbie’s is nonpareil.

Dalek Jeter

Well, Cano is the standard for superstar middle infielders, and Hanley used to be a superstar, and is still above average. I’m just pointing out Hanley’s swing looks long, and I have no idea how he was a .300 30 100 guy with it.

Also, nonpareil. Awesome word. I’m going to have to work that into my lexicon.

MannyGeee

I would argue that Robbie has had better coaching throughout his life than Hanley… Jose Cano FTW.

vicki

no doubt.

i don’t have a big problem with hanram’s swing, though he does extend his arms at a weird place.

Dalek Jeter

Sweet Lou is complaining that players these days take too many practice swings and said “you can do as much work in front of a mirror in regards to where your hands are and your stride and what-not, or you can work on it in RF like I did.” He does know about this thing called tape right? you know, where you can watch yourself swing again and again and again?

vicki

aw now, take it easy on the old man.

ps. it still tickles me to remember paul o’neill practicing his swing in right.

Karl Krawfid

hell yeaaaah

Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

Bad News Bears in Yankee uniforms today.

vicki

josh spence coming out of the bullpen for DR is so church picnic softball game.